


A Journey of Hope

by AerithFaremis



Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: ClerithWeek2020, F/M, Rewrite the Stars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:09:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26265508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AerithFaremis/pseuds/AerithFaremis
Summary: The dreamlike Edge of Creation hid a truth for Cloud that would allow him to better understand Aerith and her duty.[Clerith Week 2020 - Day 4 - Prompt: Rewrite The Stars]
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	A Journey of Hope

**CLERITH WEEK DAY 4 (09/3)**

**Prompt: _Rewrite the Stars_**

**-A Journey of Hope-**

****

_“Seven seconds till the end. Time enough for you. But what will you do with it? Let’s see”._

These were the words that Sephiroth whispered in his ear, in that place that didn't seem real but somehow existed in the minds of both men, covered with stars and nebulae that tried to convey some message, words that tried to reach Cloud's heart, were like a _warning_.

And then, he saw it. He felt how his heart was torn to pieces due to the severity of the image that was represented in the depths of his soul, how his hands were trembling when he held a body that was not his own, how his throat was torn and his mouth dried up with a cry that mixed pain and anguish in equal parts, how his eyes were burning with tears of rage before a sacrifice of others that, in that reality of his soul, he had not been able to prevent.

And he saw _Sephiroth_. And when he turned around, with his anger reflected in his gaze, trying to destroy him, whether he was real or non-existent, he realized that he had vanished without further consideration, leaving him alone in that oneiric galaxy, with only the trace of a black feather as a reminder of his presence beside him.

Cloud closed his eyes and clenched his fist. The sacrifice, Aerith's mission. He had witnessed it all, he had reflected in his own body the sensations, the fear and the pain that his self - _of another dimension or of the past_? - had once experienced.

He felt the ground under his feet start to move in circles, but he didn't open his eyes, feeling like a scared little boy. When the ground stopped moving, his hands began to shake slightly, but a voice behind his back called out to him:

"Cloud. You are safe"

He decided to be brave and opened his eyes. He was no longer at the Edge of Creation.

Above them, there was only a sky covered with stars and a mysterious green light, similar to an aura that surrounded and illuminated them, for everything else was filled with darkness.

"Where are we, Aerith?"

The Midgar flower girl turned on her feet, with her eternal smile decorating her beautiful face, and clasped her hands behind her back. She looked around, but there was nothing to indicate where they were.

"In a dream," she replied. "I think it is a peaceful place, so it will be easier to talk to you."

"You seem to like talking to me in my dreams," said Cloud, with a slight smile on his lips, staring at her. She put a lock of brown hair behind her ear and looked at her feet.

“Are you okay?" Cloud asked, trying to see if the florist had any injuries, watching her from head to toe.

"Absolutely, don't worry," she replied, with a soft smile.

He nodded his head and the two remained silent for a few moments until it was Aerith who decided to resume the conversation:

“Do you remember what I said when we were in my room, in the Shin-Ra Building? I feel lost...further and further from the path, each time losing a part of myself..." she explained “And now that we have just defeated the Arbiters of Fate, the feeling is overwhelming. That’s why…that’s why I needed to talk to you…”

Cloud approached slowly, looking at that beautiful face. Now that he understood the meaning hidden behind her words and actions, the message that Aerith had been trying to convey took on a whole new and different meaning for him.

"Because of your sacrifice, isn't it?" he asked, bluntly.

Aerith looked at him sideways, her eyes wide open, her lips trembling. What was the point of continuing to hide it from Cloud, from a person she loved so much, if he was already aware of what was happening? She wished with all her strength to entrust him with all her secrets, to share with him the burdens of her heart and soul, to free herself a little from that pain that affected her every day, even though she had promised herself that her duty as the last of the Ancients was the priority. She wanted to protect him from suffering any pain, any sorrow, but what if she was also hurting him by hiding his secrets, not helping him to understand her?

"Sephiroth has shown you that, hasn't he?" she asked, with a certain melancholy tone. Cloud nodded his head and took another step, staying close.

"That's why you're losing a part of yourself, isn't it? Because... because we are getting closer to that moment. Is... is that the reason you asked me not to fall in love with you? Because of my suffering?"

Cloud took one of her hands in his, comforting her. She had shown him before that a troubled heart could be soothed by such a simple, intimate gesture, and now he wanted to do the same:

“Even if it's in a dream," he explained, taking a step forward and cutting the distance between the two. "I want... you to trust me."

She looked at him with a trembling smile, her heart racing.

"It was...the reason I told you," she admitted, after a short silence. "To protect you, because I thought it would prevent you from feeling irreparable pain tomorrow. Cloud, tell me something... you know... we all have a purpose, right? A path we must follow.”

He nodded and she continued, breathing deeply.

"I have one too," Aerith clasped her hands in front of her chest and swayed back and forth with a thoughtful expression. Cloud stared at her in admiration. It was those occasions that made him appreciate her more deeply, for he had realized that behind every smile or every joke there was a secret, a mystery that he always wanted to know more and more about, an appealing wisdom that took his breath away every time it was revealed.

"And it is the one that Sephiroth showed you. Sometimes... I want to go on _that path_. Forget about myself and give priority to what is important to me. To fight for what I love and who I love.” her voice trembled slightly and he squeezed her hand gently, encouraging her to continue. "But, Cloud, sometimes I want to... sometimes I want to give up. Sometimes I want to forget what I am, to be able to give free rein to what I feel, to be able to..." but her voice broke before she could continue, as her eyes threatened to fill with tears. She had always said to herself that she would not allow herself to weaken, and this time she could not. But Aerith was still human. She kept having dreams, expectations, desires and feelings. She hadn't stopped loving. She was a young girl, full of dreams, who imagined what her first kiss with Cloud would be like, who wanted to discover what the flowers were like beyond Midgar. A girl who enjoyed listening to the thousand and one stories of her fellow travelers, the sound of their voices and their laughter. How could she leave all that behind when it was so difficult? Sometimes she wanted to be selfish and claim her own chance, but she felt that this was not her reason for being born into this world...

Then she felt it. She felt his arms around her body, like a warm blanket on a cold winter day. His arms enveloped her, healing that saddened heart that wanted to force itself to resign to the journey that it had to live. The warmth of his body made her feel protected, as if she were no longer alone in that immensity that was her path and her own life, and she also embraced him, holding him close, closing her eyes and enjoying his presence, feeling that that moment, despite being a dream, was the most valuable thing she would remember.

Cloud was the first to speak, in a soft, loving tone:

"It's not giving up if we look for another way, Aerith. I know this important to you. But...I don't want to think of anything that could hurt you or make you unhappy. If we have defied and defeated Fate, we all have a _new chance_ and that...that includes you too. Don't think about me, about how I will feel tomorrow or about my pain, because nothing would hurt me more than to let you go, than not to have struggled to find a way for your smile to continue to shine, for you to be able to enjoy the little things that always make you happy”.

He took a step back, putting a hand on her cheek and stroking it.

She closed her eyes, quietly enjoying his caress.

"But, Cloud... I don't know if I can do it. I've never known any other alternative. I don't want it to be risky for everyone, for you and..."

"Let's try it. There's still time to rewrite the stars. You said it yourself once, remember? _The future isn't set in stone_. If we fight together and find an alternative, there's nothing to fear. We're in this together, remember?"

"Cloud..."

"I want you to know that you can trust me. That you don't have to go through this alone, that I'm willing to do everything I can to fight for you and for you to have a chance at happiness, too."

Aerith looked at him, thoughtful, reflecting on his words. Now that they had freed themselves from the ties of Fate, everything could continue as it had been established for everyone, or... perhaps there was another way to fulfill her duty as Cetra by exploring other alternatives. If life had given her such an opportunity, why not fight, why resign herself to what was predestined, if she herself believed that Fate was never written?

She rested her forehead on his and the two of them closed their eyes.

"We'll fight for each other, Cloud," she promised. "I think... I'm ready to take a new _journey_."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you very much for reading :D


End file.
